Guidelines & Recommendations
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      Working with Noisy Equipment or in Noisy Environments for Extended Time

      Safety Information - Basic introduction to the Maximum Allowed Noise Exposure Levels. Occupational & Safety Health Recommendations

      Person working on a noisy equipment room environment

      High-speed Ethernet (HSE) equipment, such as 800GE/400GE/100GE switches, routers, servers, test equipment, etc., tend to generate lots of heat, requiring aggressive cooling systems, which can be loud and/or be in an already noisy environment. It is important to be aware of the required safety precautions.

      Icon warning indication - Fan noise level could be high. Ear protection recommended!  Icon warning indication - Fan noise level could be high. Ear protection recommended!

      Working with loud equipment for extended periods, in confined areas and/or environments with excessive noise levels (e.g., equipment rooms, labs, data centers, etc.), may result in users being exposed to high levels of noise. In those cases, it is recommended to:

      • Wear Hearing Protection Devices (proper earplugs or earmuffs) while operating loud equipment and/or working in noisy environments.
      • Use a Dosimeter to keep track of your daily noise exposure (e.g., download the CDC NIOSH Noise Measurement App).
      • Whenever possible, it is strongly recommended to operate those devices remotely, from a quieter place.
      • Get informed. Check local regulations and ordinances related to Recommended noise Exposure Limits (REL).
      The CDC's (USA) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has established a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA) averaged over an eight-hour workday.
      • It is important to differentiate between instant noise levels and time-weighted average noise exposure.
      • While noise levels describe the intensity of sounds at a given point in time, the NIOSH and EPA exposure limits are set as time-weighted average exposures over periods of time.

      The table below shows the Average Sound Exposure Levels required to reach the Maximum Allowable Daily Dose of 100%

      Time to reach 100% Noise Dose

      Exposure Level per NIOSH REL

      8 hours

      85 dB(A)

      4 hours

      88 dB(A)

      2 hours

      91 dB(A)

      60 minutes

      94 dB(A)

      30 minutes

      97 dB(A)

      15 minutes

      100 dB(A)

      The EU also limits Noise Exposure to 87 dB

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